Fish-hook



(No Model.)

F.'J. MEINHARDT.

FISH HOOK.

No. 466,940. Patented Dec. 29, 1891.

UNITED STATES I ATENT FFICE.

FREDRICK J. MEINHARDT, OF HILIVAUKEE, XVISCONSIN.

FISH-HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 465,940, dated December 29, 1891.

Application filed June 6,1891. Serial No. 395,866. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown thatl, FREDRIOK J. MEINHARDT, of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of lVisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fish-Hooks, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in spring fish-hooks; and itconsists in the peculiar construction of the hook and the devices for setting it, the novel features of which will be hereinafter specifically claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is my improved hook attached to a fish-line, the hook being shown in the position it occupies when set for work. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a fish-hook in the same form as that shown in Fig. 1, with a slightly modified form of clamping or setting device. Fig. 4 is a top plan View of the device shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a modified form of the fish-hook and setting device. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the device shown in Fig. 5.

My improved hook consists of asingle piece of wire so bent as to form a curved stock A, a fish-line loop B, and two shanks O C. At their extremities the shanks O 0 have sharp points D and laterally,'outwardly, and rearwardly projecting barbs E.

The'hook is supported on a line F, which runs freely through the loop B, and is provided with a clamp G at its extremity, which is too large to pass through the loop B. The clamp G consists of a plate K, having flanges H at a little distance apart on the'opposite edges of the plate and a rearwardly-extending arm L, to the extremity of which the fish-line F is secured.

The wire of which the fish-hook is formed is elastic, and in. their normal position the shanks of the hook diverge from each other, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3, and when set for use are drawn near together and are held in that position by slipping the flanges H over the shanks O, the plate K being permitted to bear against the sides of the shanks. The arm L projects laterally away from the shanks, as seen in Fig. 2, so that when any strain comes on the line through the hook, as by the catching of the hook by a fish, the clamp G will be tilted and released from the shanks of the hook, which will at once spring outwardly laterally, thrusting the barbs into the walls of the mouth of the fish. A sinker or counterpoise M is secured to the stock A of such size and in such manner as to support the shanks of the hook horizontally when baited and suspended in the water on the line F.

The advantage of having the hook supported horizontally is that the barbed ends of the shanks may be presented in a line approximating asclosely as possible the line of the more common movements of the fish, so that the extremity of the hook having the barbs will be in a position to be readily taken into the mouth of the fish.

If the hook were suspended so that its shanks were in a vertical position, the fish would be likely to approach the baitsubstantially at right angles to the shanks of the hook, in which position it would be difficult for the fish to take the hook into its mouth.

The hook is baited, preferably, by placing an independent bait on each of the shanks C; but a single bait may be used, covering both barbs and shanks, if care is observed to so arrange the bait as to permit the shanks to spring apart when the bait is seized by a fish.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 3 the clamp G consists of the fingers or clips H, adapted to pass over the shanks C and hold them near together when the hook is set for use, and a rearwardly-extending arm L, to which the line F is attached, which arm L proj ects laterally from the hook when it is set.

In the modified form of device shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the shanks 0' near their inner ends are bent outwardly, forming the oppositely-located projections or studs N. An elongated band-clamp O is adapted to pass around the shanks over the studsN when the shanks are near each other and hold them in the position shown in Fig. 5. This band is provided with a rearwardly-extending stem P, to which the fish-line F is attached. In use the bandclamp O is slipped onto the studs N and holds the shanks O in the position shown in Fig. 5 until the hook is caught in the mouth of a fish, when by the slight strain caused by the fish pulling thereon the band-clamp slips off the studs N and permits the shanks to spring apart under the elastic action of the stock A.

The hook is preferably so constructed that when it is set the shanks are a little distance apart, whereby when the hook is caught by the fish the shanks will by the closing of the mouth of the fish be sprung a little toward each other, thereby releasing or assisting to release the clampfrom the shanks, permitting them to spring apart forcibly.

\Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A fish-hook comprising a single piece of elastic wire bent upon itself centrally, forming normally-diverging shanks having barbs near their extremities, means for supporting the hook medially and clamping the shanks releasably near each other, and a sinker fixed to the wire adapted to counterpoise the shanks of the hook and support them in a substantially horizontal position, as set forth.

2. The combination, with a fish-hook formed of a single piece of elastic wire bent upon itself centrally and having shanks provided with barbs at their extremities, which shanks are adapted to be clamped releasably near to each other, of a sinkeror weight fixed on the wire, so as to counterpoise the hook and support the shanks in a horizontal position when the hook is suspended medially, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a wire bent upon itself, terminating in hooks, of a clamp provided at opposite edges with inwardly-extending flanges embracing the shanks of the hooks, and also provided with a rearwardly and obliquely extending arm for attachment of the line, substantially as set forth.

at. The combination, with a single piece of elastic wire bent upon itself medially and having projecting shanks and a medial loop, of a clamp provided with an oblique arm ex tending rearwardly and outwardly, and a line running through the loop and engaging the clamp, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDRIOK J. MEINIIARDT.

\Vitnesses:

O. T. BENEDICT, ANNA V. FAUST. 

